Machine for harvesting beets.



No. 645,957. Patented Mar. 27, I900.

J. I. 81. A. E. JACKSON. MACHINE FOR HARVESTING BEETS.

(Application filed Jan. 8, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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rrn TATES JAMES I. JACKSON AND AARON E.

JACKSON, OF GRAND JUNCTION,

COLORADO.

MACHINE FOR HARVESTING BE ETS SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent no. 645,957, dated March 27, 1906).

Application filed January 8 1900. Serial No. 696. (No model.)

To all whom it Dray concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES I. J AOKSON and AARON E. JACKSON, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Grand Junction, in the county of Mesa andState of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Harvesting Beets or Tubers; and we do hereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has relation'to that class of agriculturalmachines especially designed for harvesting beets or tubers by firstcutting off the projecting top and afterward removing the body from theground; and the invention has for its object to improve such class ofmachine in the several details of construction, whereby the harvestingof the beet or tuber is greatly facilitated.

The invention consists in a machine constructed substantially as shownin the drawings and hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a top plan view of a machine constructed inaccordance with our invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof, partlyin section, showing a portion of the machinebelow the surface of theground in the act of topping and removing the beet or tuber. A

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a suitable frame, which isprovided with the crank-axle B, upon the ends of which are mounted thewheels 0, said frame having the usual seat D for the driver.

The axle B has connected to it a suitable hand-lever E, by which thecrank ends of the axle may be raised or lowered and held in theiradjusted position by means of a suitable hand-pawl a, adapted to engagewith a notched segment b. Any suitable and wellknown means may beemployed by which the hand-lever may be held in position after the crankends of the axle have been adjusted. This adjustment of the ends of thecrankaxle will raise or lower the frame A to bring the parts hereinafterdescribed out of or in operative position.

ally termed topping.

To the frame A is suitably connected a spring-actuated concavoconvexblade I F, whichis designed to remove the projecting portion of the beetor tuber by what is usutached to the lower end of a rode, the upper endof the rod being loosely held in suitable brackets (1 upon the frame, acoiled spring 6 encircling the rod to render the blade springactuated.The blade F may be suitably connected to the arm f, or any otherwell-known means may be provided to prevent the rod 0, with its blade,from turning on its axis, so as to prevent the blade yielding to thepressure of the top of the beet and turning aside. In the rear of theblade F is the regulating-roller G, which is suitably connected to thearms f, the forward or opposite ends of the arms having connectedthereto the guide-shoe H, by which the depth of the cutting-blade F isregulated by first changing the height of the shoe. Any suitable meansmay be employed for rendering the shoe H vertically adjustable, such asbolts extending through elongated slots.

The plow I, immediately in the rear of the topping-blade F, has itsstandard connected to the frame A in any suitable and wellknown manner,and to the lower end of this plow is connected a grate J, through whichthe earth is sifted, the beets or tubers being raised by the plow I anddelivered upon the surface of the ground. This grate, through which theearth is sifted, is disposed at an This blade F is atacute angle to theplow or on an incline and comprises a plurality of parallel bars g, asshown in Fig. l of the drawings. Forward of the topping-blade F are thetwo rolling .colters K, which part the ground in advance of the plow I,said colters being connected tov go the frame A in any desirable manner.

Connected to the frame A in any preferred manner is a double-jointedbeam L, provided with the forward wheels M and the usual means forconnecting thereto a draft-team. 5

The beam L is double jointed, as shown at h t", and the beam betweensaid joints is provided with a bracket is, to which is pivoted ahand-lever N for controlling the beam.

In the operation of the machine the colters K, entering the ground, willfirst part the earth, while the shoe H, sliding on the surface of theground and over the projecting ends of the beets or tubers, will crushdown the same,after which the concavo-convex cuttingblade F, immediatelyfollowing the shoe, will out OK and throw the projecting end of the beetor tuber to one side, the spring action of the blade rendering itautomatically adjustable in being pressed to the ground with therequired tension to render the blade perfect in its action. The beet ortuber being new relieved of its projecting end by the cuttingblade F andthe earth loosened around it by the colters K, the plow I, which may beof any suitable form and construction, is now brought into action, whichdigs up the beet or tuber, causing it to be deposited upon the inclinedgrate J and carried to the surface of the ground. The hand-leverN whenmoved to either side will act on the double-jointed guide-beam L tothrow the frame A out of.

line with the beam, thereby causing the plow or digger to run to oneside or the other, as the case may be. The hand-lever N is held byengagement with a suitable quadrant Z, as shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawings, or by any other well-known means that will securely hold thelever in position after being moved to one side, for the purposehereinbefore described. The adjustability of the shoe H with relation tothe cutting-blade F is deemed of material importance in that itregulates the depth of the cutting-blade, the roller G guiding the bladein its action in topping the beet or tuber and facilitating itsoperation. The coiled spring 6 upon the rod 0 enables the blade F toyield in a vertical direction when coming in contact with anyobstruction on the ground.

The frame A may be raised or lowered by means of the crank-axle B andhand-lever E, which controls the digger or plow I, lowering it orraising it out of the ground, thereby rendering the frame verticallyadjustable, which will determine the depth of the plow in the ground.

The construction and form of the rolling colter K, the shoe H, ortopping-blade F may be variously modified or changed without affectingthe principle of the invention, and any such change in the severaldetails of the frame and its connecting parts as would come withinordinary mechanical judgment may be resorted to without departing fromthe essential features of the invention. The machine is equallyapplicable for digging and raising roots or any vegetable or tuber grownin the ground, such as turnips and the like.

Having now fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame with means forrendering it vertically adjustable, colters, a topping-blade, and aplow, and an inclined grate connected thereto, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

2. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame, colterscarried thereby, a spring-actuated topping-blade, a shoe withguide-roller for the blade, and a plow, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame, adouble-jointed beam connected thereto and means for controlling saidbeam, colters, a topping-blade, and a plow connected to the frame,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame, coltersconnected thereto, a plow, a topping-blade, and a vertically-adjustableshoe, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame, coltersconnected thereto, a vertically-adj ustable shoe, a guide-roller connected thereto, a topper-blade, and a plow, and a grate connectedthereto and disposed upon an incline, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

6. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame adapted forvertical adjustment, colters, a topping-blade, a shoe, and plowconnected to the frame, and a double jointed beam connecting with theframe, and means for operating the same, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

7. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame, coltersconnected thereto, a vertically-adjustable shoe, a guide-rollerconnected to the rear end of the shoe by arms, a spring-actuatedtopping-blade, and a plow, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

8. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame provided with acrankaxle, wheels mounted upon the ends of the axle, a hand-leverconnecting with the axle by which means the frame maybe adjustedvertically, a double -jointed beam connecting with the frame and meansfor operating it, and colters, a shoe, a topping-blade, and a plowconnected to the frame, substantially as and for the pur pose described.

9. A machine for harvesting beets, consisting of a frame, coltersconnected thereto, an adjustable shoe, a spring-actuated toppingblade, aguide-roller therefor connecting with the shoe, and a plow provided withan inclined grate comprising a series of parallel bars or rods,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that we claim the above we have hereunto subscribed ournames in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES I. JACKSON. AARON E. JACKSON. Witnesses:

S. P. EGENESS, J. F. SPENCER.

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